West Ham United have been rebuffed in their attempts to secure Martin Olsson after Blackburn Rovers rejected an offer worth about £2m for the Sweden defender.

The 24-year-old full-back, who joined Rovers' youth academy from Hogaborgs seven years ago, worked with Sam Allardyce during the latter's spell at Ewood Park and the West Ham manager had publicly expressed his interest in the player last week, describing his options as "weak" at left-back after losing George McCartney and Joey O'Brien to injury in recent weeks.

A number of top-flight clubs are interested in the defender, who has been capped 14 times and featured in Sweden's 4-2 defeat of England in Stockholm last November, but the east London club are first to make a move. Their initial offer has been rejected and Rovers, who are 13th in the Championship and under the caretaker-management of Gary Bowyer, have apparently told West Ham that the player will not be sold.

That resolve will be tested again before the end of the month as Allardyce is considering an improved bid. West Ham have already signed Joe Cole and Marouane Chamakh and, subject to a medical, will get Wellington Paulista on a six-month loan deal from Cruzeiro with an option to buy the 28-year-old Brazilian forward, who holds an EU passport, in the summer.